Cartagena is tropical Colombian seaport city with its cocaine days in the past. The city beats like a salsa party with fancy gorgeous restaurants and old-school style plazas. Wonderful parties and festivals keep the city swinging after dark. But Cartagena city has its quiet part as well. Just a short stroll away, tourists will find out white beaches and crystal clear water.

Cartagena is also a city for walking with its Spanish colonial buildings grouped together along brick streets. The sea breezes make the city feel quite comfortable even in the 90-degree heat. The city also features a rich culinary palate, combining flavors and ingredients from the Caribbean, Europe, Africa and even Asia.

One of the reason to leave the old city is to climb the massive Castillo de San Felipe, which is a huge fort built over the 17th and 18th centuries by the Spanish. The fortress contains an ant farm of hidden tunnels that you can explore with or without a guide. A taxi from the old city is about 5,000 pesos; admission, 13,000 pesos.

Cartagena is a musical city. In the late evening, a sea breeze freshens the air and the rhythm of trotting horses blends with the laughter and singing of friends gathered in bars, clubs and public squares. Take a table outside Donde Fidel (Plaza de los Coches 32-09) and order a Club Colombia beer. Then again, to hear live music, there’s no reason to leave La Vitrola, where on most nights a talented combo performs merengue, salsa and Cuban music. Sit at the bar and sip an aguardiente, the anise-flavored drink that’s a national favorite.